Washing machine attachment



Dec. 25, 1951 A. H. SCHMIDTKE 2,579,761

WASHING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 10, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 \NVEN'TO g ALBERT H. SCHMIDTKE Dec. 25, 1951 A. H. SCHMIDTKE WASHING MACHINE! ATTACHMENT 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 10, 1948 TTO RNEYS Patented Dec. 25, 1951 WASHING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Albert H; Schmidtke, St. Joseph, Mich, assignor to St. Joe Machines, Inc St. Joseph, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application Januar 10, 1948, Serial No. 1,552

The present invention relates to a washing machine attachment and more particularly to an attachment for commercial laundry wash wheels provided with a revolving cylinder closure and a stationary casing closure.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide an attachment for a machine of the character above indicated whereby the easing closure is prevented from being closed in instances wherein the revolving'cylinder closure is in open position; to provide such an attachment which is highly efficient in its intended use; to provide such an attachment which is simple yet rugged in construction; to providesuch an attachment which may be readily and conveniently installed on similar machines not originally equipped therewith; and, to provide such an attachment which is most economical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective View of a conventional type commercial laundrywash wheel such as is used in institutions, hotels, clubs, prisons and the like and showing an attachment of the instant invention for each pair of revolving cylinder and easing closures;

Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof on line 2--2 of Figure l and showing the casing and cylinder closures in their open positions;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2 but showing the two closures in their closed positions;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the parts of the attachment per se; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the other part of the attachment per se.

Referring then to the drawings wherein like parts of the machine and the attachment of the present invention shown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, a commercial laundry wash wheel of conventional type comprises an elongated cylindrical housing or casing Ill supported on three pairs of spaced legs II, the casing having a pair of oppositely disposed casing closures l2, I3, each separately moved to open or closed positions by a handle 14 and each closure shown in its open position in Figure l.

A revolving cylinder l5, rotatable by means of a pair of oppositely disposed interlocked and synchronized electric motors I1, [8 respectively,

2 Claims. (0]. 68-'189) is provided with a closure I9, 20, the closure !9 being shown in its closed position in Figure 1' whereas the closure 29 is shown in its open position in the same view.

The revolving cylinder I5 is provided with a dial pointer 2i whereby the operator of the machine is enabled to stop the machine when each of the cylinder closures I9, 20 are respectively positioned in registration with their companion casing closures l2, I3 and thus in position to remove washed goods from the machine.

As herein above indicated, the attachment of the instant invention is designed to prevent the closing of either of the closures [2, I3 until its companion closure I 9, 20 is closed since machines not provided with this attachment in instances wherein an operator forgets or neglects to close either closure |9,2U and starts the machine, the goods within the cylinder are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force and become wedged between the stationary housing or casing It and the revolving cylinder causing damage to the goods therein and/or a jamming of the machine.

The attachment of the present invention comprises a stepped stop plate '22 for each revolving closure [9, 26, each secured adjacent the outer end of its proximate casing closure l 2, l3 in any suitable manner as by rivets 23 and as best shown in Figures 4 and 5 and a bracket 24 having a depending pivotally secured finger or tumbler latch 25 is secured to opposite sides of the housing H1 adjacent the opening adapted to be closed by a casing closure I2, l3 likewise as best viewed in Figures 4 and 5 and which finger or latch 25 is adapted to be manually swung to inoperative position as shown in Figure 3.

Operation In operation, th operator of the machine places the goods to be washed into the machine through the opened closures i3, 20 as they are shown positioned in Figure l and thereafter closes the closure 20 to the position of its companion closure I9 as it is shown positioned in the same view, whereupon the operator moves the casing closures l3, It from their positions shown in Figure 2 to their positions shown in Figure 3.

The machine is thereupon started and after the goods therein have been washed, the operator stops the revolving cylinder it in a position wherein each of its closures 19, 29 is in registration with its companion casing closure i2, i3 and as is determined by the dial pointer 2i whereupon each casing closure l2, i3 is opened and each cylinder closure I9, 29 is likewise opened, permitting removal of the washed goods from the revolving cylinder ii.

In the opening movement of each casing closure l2, l3 from its closed position shown in Figure 3 to its open position shown in Figure 2, each pivotally depending finger or tumbler latch 25 is dropped from its position shown in Figure 3 to its position shown in Figure 2 which dropped finger or tumbler latch is engaged by the stop plate 22- upon the movement of its proximate cylinder closure 19, 20 from its position shown in Figure 3 to its position shown in Figure 2 to thereafter prevent the closing of its casing closure l2, [3 until its companion cylinder closure 19, 20 has been first closed or moved from its position shown in Figure 2 to its position shown in Figure 3.

It will be understood of course that the depending finger or tumbler latch may be mounted on either casing closure l2, 13 rather than on the housing II] in which instance it might be necessary to manually lift the latch upon the closing of either casing closure to prevent it from becoming wedged between the front edge of its closure and the edge of the rounded edge of the stationary housing.

It will thus be seen that the attachment herein shown and described prevents closing of the casing closure of the machine until its com panion cylinder closure is closed, that the attachment is highly efiicient in its intended use, is simple yet rugged in construction, the attachment may be readily and conveniently installed on similar machines not originally so equipped,

and that it is most economical in manufacture.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A safety attachment for a washing machine having an outer cylindrical shell and an inner cylindrical tumbler mounted for rotation with respect to said outer shell, an access opening through each of said outer shell and said tumbler and a first arcuate closure segment for closing said outer shell and a second arcuate closure segment for closing said tumbler, said openings being adapted for register at one position of rotation of said tumbler, said safety attachment comprising: radially outwardly, projecting, rigid stop means on said second closure segment adja cent the leading edge of said second closure segment as said second closure segment is moved to closed position; an arm pivotally mounted on said outer shell and projecting through said opening in said outer shell between said first closure segment and said rigid means on said second closure segment for engaging said rigid stop means.

, 2. A safety attachment for a washing machine having an outer cylindrical shell and an inner cylindrical tumbler mounted for rotation with respect to said outer shell, an access opening through each of said outer shell and said tumbler and a first arcuate closure segment for closing said outer shell and a second arcuate closure segment for closing said tumbler, said openings being adapted for register at one position of rotation of said tumbler, said safety attachment comprising: a stop plate mounted on said second closure segment adjacent the leading edge of said second closure segment as said second closure segment is moved to closed position; an arm pivotally mounted on said outer shell and projecting through said opening in said outer shell between said first closure segment and the edge of said stop plate remote from the leading edge of said second'closure segment for engaging said stop plate. 7

ALBERT H. SCHMIDTKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,595,664 King Aug. 10, 1920 1,596,887 Morey Aug. 24, 1926 1,630,513 Balzer May 31, 1927 2,033,620 Gould Mar. 10, 1936 2,038,066 Strobridge Apr. 21, 1936 

